Been some bruisers killed this year!!!

Wish I could join the list, lord knows I have spent enough time in the stand

I have seen several great deer the last couple of years. Something is defiantly going on. I guess I owe TPWD an apology for criticizing the AR's.

Same here....hasn't been a deer killed on our East Texas lease YET this season.
Even during the "doe days" and we have some doe killers, including me.
I have an invite to go to Bandera after Christmas and take 2 or 3 whitetail doe instead
of going back to my lease and hoping that a legal buck finally walks out on me.
I think I'm opting for the Bandera doe hunt.
I want venison. All I can get.
Although I also have a chance to go back and hunt the chalk mountain area too
with a fellow THF member and very good friend.
I think they have an extended doe/spike season there.

Pin oak crop is killing us this year. Deer don't have to move to get their groceries.

I personally am not for ARs. I am more for a judgement call from the hunter. But something has happened recently, or at least in my eyes seeing more big deer come from here.

Saying that, I do my meat hunts else where and my doe live a long healthy life until the neighbors pop her.

This year has been a wet year and I guess maybe the foliage has increased antler growth.

I dunno, but seems like this year I have seen more pics of bucks that are in the 140-160 range then I ever remember seeing.

Hope it keeps up, cause I want a real bruiser for the wall

We have some nice bucks on pics too. Mostly all night time pics though....plus I've never seen a recipe
for cooking a pic.

I agree.

I also dont agree with not being able to cull what is obviously a not good for management.

But you have to admit, it seems like the herd is improving

It's called rain, rain & more rain since 2012.

I have to agree, RAIN. But it still make's my whatever hurt. I can not even take a doe but with a bow. Does anybody else have the same? I just want some meat in the freezer. Am I just a complainer?

Sorry East, didn't mean to hi jack your thread.

That was me last season. Never saw a buck that would make the 13 inch rule, and only one legal spike. This year has been just the opposite. Spikes, fours and small eights, not to mention two that would have met the rule that I passed up.

You didn't hijack anything. This thread is up for discussing, arguing, yelling. Whatever you heathens want to discuss



IMO the rain is what helped but this warm winter pushed them nocturnal

Thank's East. I'm still not 100% for the AR.

Nailed it rifleman

I don't see why not. The deer were pretty much shot out of East Texas by the end of the Great Depression. TPWD started stocking East Texas in 1938 with deer trapped in South Texas. This continued until the 1990's. That means the genetics are the same. Just have to let them grow up!

Acorn crops and rain makes them not have to move, good summer rain made racks big. 1 more wet summer and you'll have 3yo bucks that don't know what hard times are.

I understand that Palehorse, but how can it work for the whole state, I mean they do not even do survey's to make sure that what they did really work's. Not getting on your case, just wondering?

I wasn't talking about AR's, just genetics. I guess I kinda jumped in a later conversation with an earlier point.

The rain IS amazing I have had more quail here than ever, and I have lived here for 18 yr's. No problem Palehorse, it's all good!!!

I have had a really good year in East Texas. 8 shootable bucks on cam during the day. More bucks than does including small baskets and spikes. Took my 10 pt in the first week of November. Only one group of hogs which has been great. So I can't complain but I have felt your way in previous years.

Mambajeep have you had more rain over the last three to four year's, I mean better than say 2011 or 2010, cause here where I am at it's been a wet year this year and the last two year's, not a drought buster. But thing's have BEEN so much greener, my tank has been full, yee haw. But it has been better!!!

You're correct we have had more rain closer to fall, and the 18" 5.5 yo I took this year was in the middle of a 48 hour soaker. When I took him to the processor, he said "you're hunting in this?" lol. I'll never miss another rainy day in the future!

Mambajeep I understand that it work's in east tx, or is to this point. But east tx is a long way from where I am, just cant understand the way they do thing's sometime's. TPWD.

The deer herd is improving statewide.